Closure for tubes and bottles



Jan. 7, 1964 J. LEHMAN ETAL 3,116,857

CLOSURE FOR TUBES AND BOTTLES Filed Nov. 15, 1960 I Fig 2 Fig 5 INVEN TOR.

BY C'HA/M CHALFON United States Patent 3,116,857 CLGSURE FGR TUBES AND BOTTLES Joseph Lehman, 53 Hagesh-er St., Tel Aviv, Israel, and Qhaim Chalfon, Maalot 125/ 7, Western Galilee, Israel Filed Nov. 15, 1960, Ser. No. 69,476 8 Claims. (Cl. 222545) This invention concerns closure members for tubes and flexible bottles which contain pastes or pasty liquids.

There has long been a need for a practical tube closure to replace the known screw cap with which tubes have been provided up to now. This cap is small and therefore hard to handle and frequently drops from the hand into the bathroom sink when unscrewing a tube of tooth paste and the like, or into food when unscrewing a tube of mustard or mayonnaise, as the case may be.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a tube closure member which is screwed or otherwise integrally attached to the usual tube outlet and remains connected in this manner until it is removed after the contents of the tube have been emptied.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a tube closure with which the exit of the contents can be stopped quickly and efficiently.

Further objects of the invention will become clear hereinafter.

The invention consists in a closure for tubes or bottles comprising a body adapted to be made integral with the tube or bottle and having a transverse cylindrical bore which is in communication by means of a radially extending aperture with the tube or bottle on the one hand and by means of a second such aperture in the upper part of the body with the outside, a cylindrical rotatable closure member being disposed in the aperture and having a section removed along its length which in the open position of the closure provides a passage between the two apertures and in the closed position interrupts said passage, means being provided which limit the rotational movement of the closure member and simultaneously prevent its withdrawal from the body.

The body may be manufactured in one piece with the neck of a bottle or tube. Alternately, it may be provided with a tapped hole to be screwed onto the screw-threaded neck of a bottle or tube, or it may be provided with a neck of a bottle or tube.

The means for limiting the rotational movement of the closure member and preventing its withdrawal may be the top of the neck of the tube or bottle itself which extends into the bore through the first-mentioned aperture.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the means for limiting the rotational movement of the closure member and preventing its withdrawal is a bushing inserted in the first-mentioned aperture and extending into the bore.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention the apertures lie in one vertical plane, the section removed along the length of the closure member lying between two planes which are perpendicular to the axis of the member.

The invention is illustrated by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a tube closure according to the invention in the open position.

FIG. 2 is a section thereof taken on line lI-II of PEG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an elevation of the closure member.

The closure according to the invention comprises a body 1 which is provided with a tapped hole 2 in its bottom for attachment to the screw-threaded neck of a tube 3 indicated in light dash-dotted lines in FIG. 2. A

ice

transversely throughgoing cylindrical bore 4 is provided in body 1 above hole 2, the bore on the one hand being in communication with the hole 2 by means of a radially extending aperture 5 and on the other with the outside by means of a radially extending aperture 6, the apertures 5 and 6 lying in one vertical plane. Aperture 6 is in a circular depression 6' of body 1. A cylindrical closure member 7 is rotatably disposed within bore 4 being integral at one end with a knurled knob 8 to facilitate its rotation. The member has a section 9 removed along its length, the section 9 lying between two planes which are perpendicular to the axis of member 7. While the section 9' may have a segment-shaped cross-section, it is crescent-shaped as shown in FIG. 2. A bushing 10' is inserted into aperture 5, extending into bore 4 and section 9, the flange of the bushing 10 lying in the end of hole 2.

In the open position of the closure the closure member 7 is rotated so that its section 9 constitutes a passage between apertures 5 and 6 as is shown in full lines in FIG. 2 so that the contents of the tube 3 can be squeezed out in the direction of the arrows. When the member 7 is rotated into the closed position the passage is interrupted and the section 9 assumes the position shown in dashdot-ted lines in FIG. 2. The bushing 10* limits the rotational movement of the member 7 by providing a stop with one point of its top edge for the edge 9' of section 9, i.e. when the passage is opened, and with the diametrically opposite point of its top edge for the edge 9 of section 9, i.e. when the passage is closed. The removal of member 7 from the body 1 is prevented by member It also, since its extension into section 9 does not permit the free end of the member, which is of cylindrical crosssection to be moved past the bushing in an axial direction.

The provision of aperture 6 in circular depression 6' so that the edge of the aperture is like a knife edge, facilitates the removal of the contents of the tube and permits any remaining contents to be wiped away easily when the closure member is in the closed position.

It is within the scope of the present invention to provide the apertures 5- and 6' in parallel vertical planes, in which case the section 9 of member '7 must lie between two parallel planes which are at an angle to its axis.

Instead of bushing 10 being inserted into aperture 5, the latter may be made of such dimension to permit the top of the neck of the tube or bottle to extend therethrough, so that the top of the neck itself can serve for limiting the rotational movement of the closure member and for preventing its withdrawal.

The button 8 may have any suitable shape such as a semi-sphere, square, oval or the like.

We claim:

1. A closure for bottles or tubes comprising a body constituted of plastic material formed to provide a lower cylindrical attachment portion to be connected to the bottle or tube and an upper portion provided with a transverse cylindrical bore extending across the top of said lower portion and having a longitudinal axis intersecting the vertical axis of said lower cylindrical portion, a first radially disposed opening in the wall of said bore communicating with the upper end of the interior of said lower portion to bring such bore into communication with the interior of a connected bottle or tube, a second radially disposed opening in the wall of said bore :for bringing said bore into communication with the atmosphere, said second opening being located in said bore wall so that both of said openings are crossed by a perpendicular plane containing the axis of said lower portion and extending transversely ltD the axis of said bore, and so that it is spaced from said first opening by an angle of less than 180, a cylindrical closure member mounted in said bore for reciprocating rotational movement about said bore axis and having an arcuately-shaped groove provided in its interior surface, said groove being located on said closure member and of such peripheral extent that it cooperates with the wall of said bore to form an internal arcuately-shape-d passage concentric to said bore axis and extending between the two openings in the open position of the closure and remaining in communication with said first opening when said closure member is rotated so that a substantial portion of the exterior of the latter between the ends of such groove passes across and beyond said Second opening to close the same, and a member extending inwardly from the wall of said bore and into said groove, said member ooacting with said groove to lock said closure member in said bore, and coacting with the ends of said groove to limit the range of rotational movement of said closure member and to maintain said groove in continuous communication with said first opening and therefore the interior of a connected bottle or tube throughout such range of movement of said closure member.

2. A closure for bottles or tubes comprising a body constituted of plastic material formed to provide a lower cylindrical attachment portion to be connected to the bottle or tube and an upper portion provided with a transverse cylindrical bore extending across the top of said lower pontion and having a longitudinal axis intersecting the vertical axis of said lower cylindrical portion, a first radially disposed opening in the wall of said bore communicating with the upper end of the interior of said lower portion to bring such bore into communication with the interior of a connected bottle or tube, a second radially disposed opening in the wall of said bore for bringing said bore into communication with the atmosphere, said second opening being located in said bore wall so that both of said openings are crossed by a perpendicular plane containing the axis of said lower portion and extending transversely to the axis of said bore, and so that it is spaced firom said first opening by an angle of less than 180, a cylindrical closure member mounted in said bore for reciprocating rotational movement about said bore axis and having an arcuately-shapcd groove provided in its exterior surface, said groove being located on said closure member and of such peripheral extent that it cooperates with the wall of said bore to storm an internal arcuately-shaped passage concentric to said bore axis and extending between the two openings in the open position of the closure and remaining in communication with said first opening when said closure member is rotated so that a substantial portion of the exterior of the latter between the ends of such groove passes across and beyond said second opening to close the same, and a member extending upwardly through said first opening and into said groove and formed to permit communication between the passage formed by said groove and the interior of the bottle or tube, said member coacting with said groove to lock said closure member in said bore, and enacting with the ends of said groove to limit the range of rotational movement of said closure member and to maintain said groove in continuous communication with said first opening and therefore the interior of a connected bottle or tube throughout such range of movement of said closure member.

3. A closure for bottles or tubes comprising a body constituted of plastic material formed to provide a lower cylindrical attachment portion to be connected to the bottle or tube and an upper portion provided with a transverse cylindrical bore extending across the top of said lower portion and having a longitudinal axis intersecting the vertical axis of said lower cylindrical portion, a first radially disposed opening in the wall of said bore communicating with the upper end of [the interior of said lower portion to bring such bore into communication with the interior of a connected bottle or tube, a second radi- 4 ally disposed opening in the wall of said bore for bringing said bore into communication with the atmosphere, said econd opening being located in said here wall so that both of said openings are crossed by a perpendicular plane contain-ing the axis of said lower portion and extending transversely to the axis of said bore, and so that it is spaced from said first opening by an angle of less than 180, a cylindrical closure member mounted in said here for reciprocating rotational movement about said bore axis and having an arcuately-shaped groove provided in its exterior surface, said groove being located on said closure member and of such peripheral extent that it cooperates with the wall of said bore to form an internal arcuatelyshaped passage concentric to said bore axis and extending between the two openings in the open position of the closure and remaining in communication with said first opening when said closure member is rotated so that a substantial portion of the exterior of the latter between the ends of such groovepasses across and beyond said second opening to close the same, and a bushing seated on the upper end of said lower portion and extending through said first opening into said groove, said bushing coacting with said groove to lock said closure member in said bore, and c-oacting with the ends of said groove to limit the range of rotational movement of said closure member and to maintain said groove in continuous communication with said first opening and therefore the interior of a connected bottle or tube th oughout such range of movement of said closure member.

4. A closure for bottles or tubes comprising a body having a lower annular portion for connection to a bottle or tube and an upper portion provided with a transverse cylindrical bore extending across the top of said lower portion, a first radially disposed opening in the wall of said bore communicating with the upper end of said annular lower portion to bring such bore int-o communication with the interior of a connected bottle or tube, a second radially disposed opening in the wall of said bore for bringing said bore into communication with the atmosphere, a cylindrical closure member mounted in said bore for reciprocating rotational movement about the longitudinal axis of said bore and having an arcuately-shaped groove provided in its exterior surface, said groove being located on said closure member and of such peripheral extent that it cooperates with the wall of said bore to form an internal passage extending between the two openings in the open position of the closure, and a member extending upwardly through said first opening and into said groove and formed to permit communication between the passage formed by said groove and the interior of the bottle or tube, said member coacting with said groove to lock said closure member in said bore, and coacting with the ends of said groove to limit the range of rotational movement of said closure member and to maintain said groove in continuous communication with said first opening and therefore the interior of a connected bottle or tube throughout such range of movement of said closure member.

5. A closure such as defined in claim 4, in which the peripheral extent of said groove is less than 188.

6. A closure such as defined in claim 4, in whicn'said closure member is removably mounted in said bore, and in which said groove ooacting member is movably mounted in said lower body portion and may be withdrawn to release said closure member for removal from said bore;

7. A closure such as defined in claim 4, in which said groove coacting member is removably mounted in said lower body portion and is maintained in operative coacting relation with said groove by the connected portion of a bottle or tube.

8. A closure such as defined in claim 4 in which the area of said first opening is less than the cross-sectional area of the opening in said lower annular body portion to provide an internal shoulder in said lower body portion, and in which said groove coacting member is remov- 5 ably mounted in said lower body portion and is provided with a projecting portion engageable With said internal shoulder and maintained in engagement therewith by the engagement of the connected portion of a bottle or tube with said groove coasting member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,701,433 Witt Feb. 5, 1929 6 Betts Sept. 3, 1929 Witt Aug. 5, 1930 Ude Nov. 25, 1930 Mull Jan. 7, 1936 Church Aug. 16, 1938 Landau Nov. 3, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland Oct. 1, 1945 Great Britain Dec. 6, 1950 

1. A CLOSURE FOR BOTTLES OR TUBES COMPRISING A BODY CONSTITUTED OF PLASTIC MATERIAL FORMED TO PROVIDE A LOWER CYLINDRICAL ATTACHMENT PORTION TO BE CONNECTED TO THE BOTTLE OR TUBE AND AN UPPER PORTION PROVIDED WITH A TRANSVERSE CYLINDRICAL BORE EXTENDING ACROSS THE TOP OF SAID LOWER PORTION AND HAVING A LONGITUDINAL AXIS INTERSECTING THE VERTICAL AXIS OF SAID LOWER CYLINDRICAL PORTION, A FIRST RADIALLY DISPOSED OPENING IN THE WALL OF SAID BORE COMRADIALLY DISPOSED OPENING IN THE WALL OF SAID BORE COMMINICATING WITH THE UPPER END OF THE INTERIOR OF SAID LOWER PORTION TO BRING SUCH BORE INTO COMMUNICATION WITH THE INTERIOR OF A CONNECTED BOTTLE OR TUBE, A SECOND RADIALLY DISPOSED OPENING IN THE WALL OF SAID BORE FOR BRINGING SAID BORE INTO COMMUNICATION WITH THE ATMOSPHERE, SAID SECOND OPENING BEING LOCATED IN SAID BORE WALL SO THAT BOTH OF SAID OPENINGS ARE CROSSED BY A PERPENDICULAR PLANE CONTAINING THE AXIS OF SAID LOWER PORTION AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY TO THE AXIS OF SAID BORE, AND SO THAT IT IS SPACED FROM SAID FIRST OPENING BY AN ANGLE OF LESS THAN 180*, CYLINDRICAL CLOSURE MEMBER MOUNTED IN SAID BORE FOR RECIPROCATING ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT ABOUT SAID BORE AXIS AND HAVING AN ARCUATELY-SHAPED GROOVE PROVIDED IN ITS INTERIOR SURFACE, SAID GROOVE BEING LOCATED ON SAID CLOSURE MEMBER AND OF SUCH PERIPHERAL EXTENT THAT IT COOPERATES WITH THE WALL OF SAID BORE TO FORM AN INTERNAL ARCUATELY-SHAPED PASSAGE CONCENTRIC TO SAID BORE AXIS AND EXTENDING BETWEEN THE TWO OPENINGS IN THE OPEN POSITION OF THE CLOSURE AND REMAINING IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID FIRST OPENING WHEN SAID CLOSURE MEMBER IS ROTATED SO THAT A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE EXTERIOR OF THE LATTER BETWEEN THE ENDS OF SUCH GROOVE PASSES ACROSS AND BEYOND SAID SECOND OPENING TO CLOSE THE SAME, AND A MEMBER EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE WALL OF SAID BORE AND INTO SAID GROOVE, SAID MEMBER COACTING WITH SAID GROOVE TO LOCK SAID CLOSURE MEMBER IN SAID BORE, AND COACTING WITH THE ENDS OF SAID GROOVE TO LIMIT THE RANGE OF ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF SAID CLOSURE MEMBER AND TO MAINTAIN SAID GROOVE IN CONTINUOUS COMMUNICATION WITH SAID FIRST OPENING AND THEREFORE THE INTERIOR OF A CONNECTED BOTTLE OR TUBE THROUGHOUT SUCH RANGE OF MOVEMENT OF SAID CLOSURE MEMBER. 